Steve Buechele is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for 11 seasons. He was primarily a third baseman, but also played some first base and second base during his career. Buechele was known for his solid defense and consistent hitting.
Buechele was born on September 26, 1961 in Lancaster, California. He attended Stanford University, where he played college baseball and was named an All-American in 1982. He was then drafted by the Texas Rangers in the fifth round of the 1982 MLB Draft.
Buechele made his Major League debut with the Rangers in 1985. He played for the Rangers for seven seasons, from 1985 to 1991. During his time with the Rangers, Buechele was a reliable player, hitting over .250 in six of his seven seasons with the team. He also won a Gold Glove award for his defensive play in 1989.
In 1992, Buechele was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for the Pirates for two seasons, from 1992 to 1993. He continued to be a solid player for the Pirates, hitting .280 in his first season with the team.
Buechele then played for the Chicago Cubs for two seasons, from 1994 to 1995. He was primarily a backup player for the Cubs, but still managed to hit .300 in limited playing time during the strike-shortened 1994 season.
After the 1995 season, Buechele retired from baseball. He finished his career with a .245 batting average, 94 home runs, and 499 RBI. He also had a career fielding percentage of .964.
After retiring from baseball, Buechele became a coach. He served as a minor league coach in the Rangers organization from 1996 to 2000. He then became a Major League coach for the Rangers from 2006 to 2010. In 2011, he became the manager of the Rangers' Double-A affiliate, the Frisco RoughRiders. He managed the team for four seasons, from 2011 to 2014.
In 2015, Buechele became the third base coach for the Texas Rangers. He served in that role for three seasons, from 2015 to 2017. In 2018, he became the bench coach for the Rangers, a position he held for two seasons.
Overall, Steve Buechele had a solid career as a Major League baseball player. He was known for his consistent hitting and solid defense, and won a Gold Glove award for his play at third base. After retiring from baseball, he became a coach and has had a successful career in that role as well.
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